The effect of donation frequency on donor health in blood donors donating plasma by plasmapheresis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The demand for plasma products is growing, necessitating an increase in plasma collection by plasmapheresis. While the 20th edition of the European Guidelines permits plasma donors in Europe to donate with 96-h donation intervals, the potential short- and long-term consequences of high-frequency plasma donations on donor health remain unknown. This study aims to measure the effect of plasma donation frequency on plasma protein composition, including total serum protein (TSP) and immunoglobulin G (IgG), in Norwegian male blood donors. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) included 120 male blood donors who were randomized into two intervention groups and one control group: high-frequency plasma donors (HFPDs) who donated 650 mL of plasma 3 times every 2 weeks, whereas regular-frequency plasma donors (RFPDs) who donated 650 mL of plasma 1 time every 2 weeks. The control group consisted of whole blood donors. The primary outcomes are the concentrations of TSP and IgG. DISCUSSION: The findings from this study may have implications for recommendations related to donor health and plasma donation frequencies and may contribute to supporting the strategic independence of plasma products in Norway and Europe without compromising donor health. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05179200 . Registered December 20th, 2021.

Social withdrawal behaviour in Nepalese infants and the relationship with future neurodevelopment; a longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Social withdrawal in infants may be a signal of distress and a precursor for non-optimal development. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between infant social withdrawal and neurodevelopment up to 4 years in Nepalese children. METHODS: A total of 597 Nepalese infants 6-11 months old were assessed with the modified Alarm Distress Baby Scale (m-ADBB), and of these, 527 with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd edition (Bayley-III) during early childhood, and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV) and NEPSY-II subtests at 4 years. We examined whether social withdrawal defined by the m-ADBB was associated with neurodevelopmental scores in regression models. RESULTS: Children socially withdrawn in infancy had lower Bayley-III language scores (-2.6 (95% CI -4.5, -0.7)) in early childhood. This association seems to be driven by the expressive communication subscale (-0.7 (95% CI -1.0, -0.3)), but not the receptive communication subscale (-0.2 (95% CI -0.6, 0.1)). There were no differences in the other Bayley-III scores or the WPPSI-IV and NEPSY-II scores at 4 years in children who were socially withdrawn or not. CONCLUSION: Social withdrawal in infancy was reflected in early language development but not cognitive functioning at 4 years.

Linear growth beyond 24 months and child neurodevelopment in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To synthesize available evidence on the association between change in linear growth (height for age z score, HAZ) beyond the first two years of life with later child neurodevelopment outcomes in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE for cohort studies on the association between change in HAZ after age two and neurodevelopment outcomes in middle or late childhood. Data extraction was done independently by two reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies, that included 64,562 children from 13 LMICs were identified. Each unit increase in change in HAZ above two years is associated with a + 0.01 increase (N = 8 studies, 27,393 children) in the cognitive scores at 3.5 to 12 years of age and a + 0.05-standard deviation (SD) increase (95% CI 0.02 to 0.08, N = 3 studies, 17,830 children) in the language score at 5 to 15 years of age. No significant association of change in HAZ with motor (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.04; 95% CI: -0.10, 0.18, N = 1 study, 966 children) or socio-emotional scores (SMD 0.00; 95% CI: -0.02, 0.01, N = 4 studies, 14,616 participants) was observed. CONCLUSION: Changes in HAZ after the first two years of life appear to have a small or no association with child neurodevelopment outcomes in LMICs.

Impact of an integrated health, nutrition, and early child stimulation and responsive care intervention package delivered to preterm or term small for gestational age babies during infancy on growth and neurodevelopment: study protocol of an individually randomized controlled trial in India (Small Babies Trial).

BACKGROUND: Preterm and term small for gestational age (SGA) babies are at high risk of experiencing malnutrition and impaired neurodevelopment. Standalone interventions have modest and sometimes inconsistent effects on growth and neurodevelopment in these babies. For greater impact, intervention may be needed in multiple domains-health, nutrition, and psychosocial care and support. Therefore, the combined effects of an integrated intervention package for preterm and term SGA on growth and neurodevelopment are worth investigating. METHODS: An individually randomized controlled trial is being conducted in urban and peri-urban low to middle-socioeconomic neighborhoods in South Delhi, India. Infants are randomized (1:1) into two strata of 1300 preterm and 1300 term SGA infants each to receive the intervention package or routine care. Infants will be followed until 12 months of age. Outcome data will be collected by an independent outcome ascertainment team at infant ages 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and at 2, 6, and 12 months after delivery for mothers. DISCUSSION: The findings of this study will indicate whether providing an intervention that addresses factors known to limit growth and neurodevelopment can offer substantial benefits to preterm or term SGA infants. The results from this study will increase our understanding of growth and development and guide the design of public health programs in low- and middle-income settings for vulnerable infants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has been registered prospectively in Clinical Trial Registry - India # CTRI/2021/11/037881, Registered on 08 November 2021.

Biotin: a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Biotin is a water-soluble B-vitamin with key roles in metabolism and are found in most foods at low concentrations. Symptomatic biotin deficiency is rare, and few studies have investigated biotin requirements in relation to health outcomes. Data to support the setting of dietary reference values for biotin are limited.

Energy drink consumption and sleep parameters in college and university students: a national cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the frequency of energy drink (ED) consumption, and the association between ED consumption and selected sleep characteristics and parameters in Norwegian college and university students. We also explored whether these associations varied based on sex. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Data were gathered from the SHOT2022 study (Students' Health and Well-being Study), a national survey. PARTICIPANTS: 53 266 students, aged 18-35 years, enrolled in higher education in Norway (2022). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Estimated marginal means were computed from general linear models investigating the association between ED consumption and continuous sleep outcomes, while log-link binomial regression analysis was used for dichotomous sleep outcomes of sleep measures. All models were adjusted for age. RESULTS: Among the participants, 4.7% of men and 3.3% of women reported consuming ED daily. The frequency of ED consumption was inversely associated with sleep duration and sleep efficiency, while a direct association was observed with the frequency of ED consumption and sleep patterns such as sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset across sexes. The strongest association was found between daily ED consumption and short sleep duration where men had a risk ratio (RR) of 2.07; 95% CI 1.77 to 2.42, and women had a RR of 1.87; 95% CI 1.64 to 2.14. CONCLUSION: ED consumption was a strong determinant for negative sleep outcomes. Even small amounts of ED were associated with poorer sleep outcomes, which warrant more attention towards the consequences of consuming ED among college and university students.

Zinc - a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Zinc is essential for several biological processes including those critical for the immune system, DNA synthesis, cell division, and growth. Zinc is involved in the pathophysiology of chronic diseases and protects proteins and lipids from oxidative damage. Inadequate zinc intake and low plasma zinc concentration are associated to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes; however, the evidence is limited. Zinc deficiency increases the risk of infections and poor growth and may contribute to the high burden of infectious diseases and stunting in children living in low- and middle-income countries. The risk of zinc deficiency in the populations of the Nordic and Baltic countries is low.

Thiamin (Vitamin B1) - A scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Only a few studies have explored relationships between thiamine intake and function, and a few studies have examined the effects of supplements on various clinical or biochemical outcomes. None of these studies, however, makes a useful contribution to understanding requirements in healthy populations. The requirement of thiamine relates to energy and carbohydrate intake. Clinical signs of deficiency have been observed at intakes below 0.5 mg/day, which corresponds to 0.05 mg/MJ. In other studies, thiamine excretion in the urine and normalisation of enzyme activity were normalised at intakes of 0.07-0.08 mg/MJ. The lower limit of intake thus estimates at 0.05 mg/MJ. It has not been possible to set a safe upper intake level for thiamine due to a lack of data. Studies on pregnant and lactating women indicate a higher requirement as assessed by biochemical parameters. A few studies indicate that thiamine utilisation is impaired among elderly subjects.

The Effect of Vitamin B12 Supplementation on Leukocyte Telomere Length in Mildly Stunted Nepalese Children: A Secondary Outcome of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B12 is essential for deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis and genome stability. A deficiency of vitamin B12 is associated with telomere shortening, genomic aging, and increased risk of chronic disease and mortality. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to determine the effect of vitamin B12 supplementation on leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in infants at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. METHODS: The study was a predefined secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial enrolling 600 Nepalese infants aged 6 -11 mo, who were supplemented with 2 µg (2-3 recommended daily allowances) vitamin B12 or placebo daily for 1 y. At the end of the study, LTL was measured in 497 participants. Mean LTL was compared between the treatment arms in the full sample and predefined subgroups based on markers of vitamin B12 status, hemoglobin, sex, and growth indices. RESULTS: LTL at end-study did not differ between the vitamin B12 and placebo arm with a standardized mean difference (95% confidence interval) of 0.04 (-0.14, 0.21). There was no effect of vitamin B12 on LTL in any of the subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Providing daily vitamin B12 for 1 y during infancy in a population at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency does not affect LTL. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02272842.

Vitamin B12 and Folate Status in Pregnant Females and Their Infants in Norway: Secondary Analysis from the Mommy's Food Study.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B12 and folate are essential micronutrients important for normal infant growth and development. OBJECTIVES: The aims were to describe vitamin B12 and folate status in pregnant females and their infants according to commonly used status cutoffs and examine the associations between maternal status, maternal supplement use, and breastfeeding and infant status. METHODS: Pregnant females were recruited at 18 wk gestation in Bergen, Norway. Maternal vitamin B12 and folate status were measured at gestational weeks 18 (n = 136) and 36 (n = 116), and infant status was measured at ages 3 (n = 73) and 6 (n = 74) mo. RESULTS: At gestational weeks 18 and 36, respectively, 4.4% and 2.6% of the mothers had plasma cobalamin concentrations <148 pmol/L, 0.7% and 6.9% had methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations >0.26 µmol/L, and 3.7% and 30% had folate concentrations <10 nmol/L. None of the females had total homocysteine (t-Hcy) concentrations >13 µmol/L or 3 combined indicator of vitamin B12 (cB12) < -0.5. At 3 and 6 mo, respectively, 4.1% and 5.4% of the infants had cobalamin concentrations <148 pmol/L, 63% and 74% had t-Hcy concentrations >6.5 µmol/L, 59% and 66% had MMA concentrations >0.26 µmol/L, and 47% and 60% had cB12 > -0.5. None of the infants had folate concentrations <10 nmol/L. Several of the vitamin B12 biomarkers in infants were associated with maternal vitamin B12 status during pregnancy. Breastfed infants had lower vitamin B12 status (as indicated by plasma cobalamin, t-Hcy, and cB12) than nonbreastfed infants at both 3 and 6 mo. Use of supplements during pregnancy was associated with better vitamin B12 status among infants at 3 and 6 mo, as indicated by infants' cobalamin and t-Hcy concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical vitamin B12 deficiency among infants was common and associated with maternal vitamin B12 status during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Among the mothers, an increase in biochemical folate deficiency was discovered toward the end of gestation. Further studies are needed to investigate clinical consequences. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02610959.

Iodine Nutrition in Children ≤2 years of Age in Norway.

BACKGROUND: As a component of the thyroid hormones (THs), iodine is vital for normal neurodevelopment during early life. However, both deficient and excess iodine may affect TH production, and data on iodine status in young children are scarce. OBJECTIVES: To describe iodine nutrition (iodine status and intake) in children ≤2 y of age in Innlandet County (Norway) and to describe the associations with maternal iodine nutrition. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in a representative sample of mother-child pairs selected from 30 municipalities from November 2020 until October 2021. Iodine status [child urinary iodine concentration (UIC), maternal UIC, and breast milk iodine concentration (BMIC)] was measured. Child's iodine intake was estimated using 2 24-h dietary recalls (24-HR) and a food frequency questionnaire. The Multiple Source Method was used to estimate the usual iodine intake distributions from the 24-HR assessments. RESULTS: The median UIC in 333 children was 145 µg/L, indicating adequate iodine status according to the WHO cutoff (100 µg/L). The median usual iodine intake was 83 µg/d. Furthermore, 35% had suboptimal usual iodine intakes [below the proposed Estimated average requirement (72 µg/d)], whereas <1% had excessive usual iodine intakes [above the Upper intake level (200 µg/d)]. There was a positive correlation between children's iodine intake and BMIC (Spearman rank correlation coefficient r = 0.67, P < 0.001), and between children's UIC and BMIC (r = 0.43, P < 0.001), maternal UIC (r = 0.23, P = 0.001), and maternal iodine intake (r = 0.20, P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Despite a median UIC above the cutoff for iodine sufficiency, more than a third of the children had suboptimal usual iodine intakes. Our findings suggest that many children will benefit from iodine fortification and that risk of iodine excess in this age group is low.

Inadequate Iodine Intake in Mothers of Young Children in Innlandet County, Norway.

Background: Iodine has an essential role in child growth and brain development. Thus, sufficient iodine intake is particularly important in women of childbearing age and lactating women. Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to describe iodine intake in a large random sample of mothers of young children (aged ≤2 y) living in Innlandet County, Norway. Methods: From November 2020 to October 2021, 355 mother-child pairs were recruited from public health care centers. Dietary data were obtained using two 24-h dietary recalls (24-HRs) per woman and an electronic FFQ. The Multiple Source Method was used to estimate the usual iodine intake from the 24-HR assessment. Results: Based on the 24-HRs, the median (P25, P75) usual iodine intake from food was 117 µg/d (88, 153) in nonlactating women and 129 µg/d (95, 176) in lactating women. The median (P25, P75) total usual iodine intake (from food combined with supplements) was 141 µg/d (97, 185) in nonlactating women and 153 µg/d (107, 227) in lactating women. Based on the 24-HRs, 62% of the women had a total iodine intake below the recommendations (150 µg/d in nonlactating women and 200 µg/d in lactating women), and 23% of them had an iodine intake below the average requirement (100 µg/d). The reported use of iodine-containing supplements was 21.4% in nonlactating women and 28.9% in lactating women. In regular users of iodine-containing supplements (n = 63), supplements contributed to an average of 172 µg/d of iodine. Among regular iodine supplement users, 81% reached the recommendations compared with 26% of nonsupplement users (n = 237). The iodine intake estimated by FFQ was substantially higher than that estimated by 24-HRs. Conclusions: Maternal iodine intake in Innlandet County was inadequate. This study confirms the need for action to improve iodine intake in Norway, particularly among women of childbearing age.

The effect of vitamin B12 supplementation during pregnancy on infant growth and development in Nepal: a community-based, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B12 is required for healthy infant growth and development, but low and marginal vitamin B12 status is endemic in low-income and middle-income countries. We aimed to measure the effect of vitamin B12 supplementation from early pregnancy until 6 months post partum on infant growth and neurodevelopment. METHODS: In this community-based, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned (1:1) 800 pregnant women (aged 20-40 years) who were up to 15 weeks pregnant-recruited from home visits and outpatient departments at three hospitals in Nepal-to daily supplementation with 50 µg oral vitamin B12 or placebo until 6 months postpartum. Independent scientists generated the list that linked allocation to participants' study identification number. Participants were masked to group assignment and all investigators were masked until data cleaning was completed. The primary outcomes were length-for-age Z score (LAZ) at age 12 months and the cognitive composite score of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (3rd edition) at age 6 months and 12 months. The primary and secondary outcomes, including adverse events, were assessed in the intention-to-treat population, for all participants with available outcome data. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03071666. FINDINGS: 800 eligible pregnant women were enrolled in the trial between March 28, 2017, and Oct 15, 2020, with 400 women randomly assigned to each group. Follow-up was completed on May 18, 2022. At baseline, 569 (71%) of 800 women had plasma vitamin B12 indicating low or marginal status (<221 pmol/L). We found no effect of vitamin B12 on the primary outcomes. The mean LAZ at age 12 months were -0·57 (SD 1·03) in the B12 group and -0·55 (1.03) in the placebo group (366 infants in the vitamin B12 group vs 363 infants in the placebo group) with a mean difference of -0·02 (95% CI -0·16 to 0·13). The mean cognitive composite scores were 97·7 (SD 10·5) in the B12 group and 97·1 (10·2) in the placebo group, with a mean difference of 0·5 (95% CI -0·6 to 1·7) measured in 364 and 361 infants. Stillbirths or infant deaths occurred in three (1%) of 374 women in the vitamin B12 group and nine (2%) of 379 women in the placebo group. INTERPRETATION: Although vitamin B12 deficiency was prevalent in our study population and vitamin B12 supplementation from early pregnancy substantially improved vitamin B12 status, supplementation did not improve infant growth or neurodevelopment. Our findings support the current WHO recommendations of no routine vitamin B12 supplementation during pregnancy. FUNDING: Research Council of Norway.

Vitamin B12 status in infancy and the effect of a vitamin B12 injection in infants with subclinical vitamin B12 deficiency: study protocol for a register-based randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is crucial for optimal child development and growth, yet deficiency is common worldwide. The aim of this study is twofold; (1) to describe vitamin B12 status and the status of other micronutrients in Norwegian infants, and (2) in a randomised controlled trial (RCT), investigate the effect of vitamin B12 supplementation on neurodevelopment in infants with subclinical vitamin B12 deficiency. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Infant blood samples, collected at public healthcare clinics, are analysed for plasma cobalamin levels. Infants with plasma cobalamin <148 pmol/L are immediately treated with hydroxocobalamin and excluded from the RCT. Remaining infants (cobalamin ≥148 pmol/L) are randomly assigned (in a 1:1 ratio) to either a screening or a control group. In the screening group, baseline samples are immediately analysed for total homocysteine (tHcy), while in the control group, the baseline samples will be analysed after 12 months. Screening group infants with plasma tHcy >6.5 µmol/L, are given an intramuscular injection of hydroxocobalamin (400 µg). The primary outcomes are cognitive, language and motor development assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development at 12 months of age. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics (ref: 186505). Investigators who meet the Vancouver requirements will be eligible for authorship and be responsible for dissemination of study findings. Results will extend current knowledge on consequences of subclinical vitamin B12 deficiency during infancy and may inform future infant feeding recommendations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05005897.

Daily Folic Acid and/or Vitamin B12 Supplementation Between 6 and 30 Months of Age and Cardiometabolic Risk Markers After 6-7 Years: A Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Deficiencies of vitamin B12 and folate are associated with elevated concentrations of metabolic markers related to CVDs. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effect of supplementation of vitamin B12 with or without folic acid for 6 mo in early childhood on cardiometabolic risk markers after 6-7 y. METHODS: This is a follow-up study of a 2 × 2 factorial, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of vitamin B12 and/or folic acid supplementation in 6-30-mo-old children. The supplement contained 1.8 µg of vitamin B12, 150 µg of folic acid, or both, constituting >1 AI or recommended daily allowances for a period of 6 mo. Enrolled children were contacted again after 6 y (September 2016-November 2017), and plasma concentrations of tHcy, leptin, high molecular weight adiponectin, and total adiponectin were measured (N = 791). RESULTS: At baseline, 32% of children had a deficiency of either vitamin B12 (<200 pmol/L) or folate (<7.5 nmol/L). Combined supplementation of vitamin B12 and folic acid resulted in 1.19 µmol/L (95% CI: 0.09; 2.30 µmol/L) lower tHcy concentration 6 y later compared to placebo. We also found that vitamin B12 supplementation was associated with a lower leptin-adiponectin ratio in subgroups based on their nutritional status. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with vitamin B12 and folic acid in early childhood was associated with a decrease in plasma tHcy concentrations after 6 y. The results of our study provide some evidence of persistent beneficial metabolic effects of vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation in impoverished populations. The original trial was registered at www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov as NCT00717730, and the follow-up study at www.ctri.nic.in as CTRI/2016/11/007494.

The predictive validity of Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III at 2 years for later general abilities: Findings from a rural, disadvantaged cohort in Pakistan.

Using data from a rural cohort in Pakistan (N = 1298), the study examined the predictive validity of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID) 3rd edition on later tests of general abilities. The BSID III subscales (cognitive, language and motor) were administered at 2 years; general ability was assessed using the Verbal, Performance and Full-Scale score from the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) III at 4 years, and the Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI) from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) V at 8 years. The combined BSID subscales explained 15% of the variation of the WPPSI III full scale, 16% of the Verbal scale, 7% of the Performance scale and 1% of the FRI. BSID III scores at 24 months should be used with caution to predict future intellectual abilities.

Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Patients With Liver Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses.

INTRODUCTION: A subset of patients with celiac disease (CeD) has liver involvement in the form of hypertransaminasemia, liver cirrhosis, and autoimmune hepatitis. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analyses to determine the pooled prevalence of CeD in patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis, all-cause cirrhosis, cryptogenic hypertransaminasemia, and all-cause hypertransaminasemia. METHODS: We searched PubMed and EMBASE up to January 2022. Cross-sectional, case-control, and prospective cohort studies performing serological tests and/or intestinal biopsy for CeD on patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis, all-cause cirrhosis, cryptogenic hypertransaminasemia, and all-cause hypertransaminasemia were included to calculate pooled estimates of seroprevalence and the prevalence of biopsy-confirmed CeD in these 4 groups. RESULTS: Of 6,871 articles screened, 20 articles were included finally in 3 meta-analyses for cryptogenic cirrhosis, all-cause cirrhosis, and cryptogenic hypertransaminasemia. For the all-cause hypertransaminasemia group, a qualitative review of 4 studies was conducted instead of a meta-analysis due to significant differences in studies. The pooled prevalence (95% confidence interval) of biopsy-confirmed CeD in cryptogenic cirrhosis was 4.6% (2.2%-7.5%) while the pooled prevalence of biopsy-confirmed CeD in all-cause cirrhosis was 0.8% (0%-3.4%). The pooled prevalence of biopsy-confirmed CeD in cryptogenic hypertransaminasemia was 5.7% (3.2%-8.8%). DISCUSSION: Nearly 1 in 20 patients each with cryptogenic cirrhosis and cryptogenic hypertransaminasemia have CeD; hence, they should both be considered high-risk groups for CeD. While the prevalence of CeD in those with all-cause cirrhosis is similar to that in general population, it may be worth screening them for CeD because liver pathology has the potential for reversal in them.

The reliability and predictive ability of the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) in a community-based study in Bhaktapur, Nepal.

AIM: In a Nepalese setting, to measure the reliability of the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) and its ability to predict development scores at 6 months. METHODS: Nepalese infants (n = 705) were assessed by the TIMP when they were 8-12 weeks old and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition (Bayley-III) at 6 months. Inter-rater agreement was expressed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), the internal consistency by Cronbach's alphas and Pearson correlation coefficients. Predictive ability was estimated in linear regression models. RESULTS: Inter-rater agreement was excellent (ICCs > 0.93). Alphas for the TIMP total scores were 0.76 for infants born to term and 0.72 in those born preterm. Correlation coefficients between TIMP total and Bayley-III subscale-scores ranged from 0.05 to 0.28 for term infants and from 0.15 to 0.43 for preterm infants. Using American norms, 56.3 % had TIMP scores within average and 43.7 % below average range. Bayley-III subscale scores were lower in children with TIMP scores below the average range, with the strongest estimates for Gross motor and Socio-emotional development. INTERPRETATION: The reliability of the TIMP was acceptable, and the TIMP could be a feasible tool to monitor infant motor development in low-resource settings. Properties of the TIMP differed according to gestational age.